November 20, 2018
Of all the qualities manufacturers will look for in enterprise software, few are as important as scalability. Unlike a lot of sales, when buying or changing ERP software, the choice of doesn’t usually come down to costs or flashy features. It comes down to scalability.
But, what does that really mean? “Scalable” is a word that is used by many, but truly understood by few. Let’s have a closer look.
Scalability in ERP
There are two primary dimensions of scalability that impact ERP decisions.
Accommodating Growth
The first dimension of scalability that typically comes to mind is the ability to accommodate growth and change in your business. Can it handle a growing amount of work? Does it have the potential to grow itself in order to accommodate that growth?
There are many ways that ERP solutions can accommodate growth. Here are four main areas to evaluate.
- User Growth
- Platform Compatibility, Integrations, and Accessibility
- Features & Functionality
- Load & Utilization
Enabling Growth
The second dimension of scalability in ERP is the solution’s ability to help your business grow in the first place. What kind of impact will the solution have on areas such as:
- Efficiency
- Productivity
- Cost Savings
- Profit Margin
- Revenue Growth
How scalable is your team?
As important as the software selection is, perhaps equally as important is the scalability of your evaluation, implementation, and support teams. Do you have access to enough support and resources to manage growth in your business and ERP solutions? That’s where Guide excels.
We offer a full range of services delivered by experienced, highly skilled professionals to help support and supplement your existing resource. From our ERP consulting services to training, project management, Lean/Six Sigma, custom development and more, we empower you to extract the maximum value out of your technology to increase efficiency, improve margins and ultimately, drive more revenue.
Check out this success story from Industrial Dialectrics, Inc. in Noblesville, Indiana to see how scalability makes a difference in ERP success.